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XFX GTX 280 Review

Conclusion:

Other than a few freak scores that were repeatable by the G92-based 8800GTS, the XFX GTX 280 took 30 out of 32 tests in the single GPU comparison. Against the 9800GX2 and 3870X2, the GTX 280 took the top spot or was tied in 15 out of 32 benchmark tests. A pretty solid performance, if you ask me. Showing this kind of muscle so soon after the 9-series was released makes me think this is not the performance peak this series will hit in terms of raw performance. I can't wait to see two of the GTX 280's in SLI - 2-way or 3-way. Many games are now incorporating physics into the experience and it was just a matter of time before it was implemented on the GPU, having a more realistic gaming experience, with things like as collateral damage, natural flowing cloth, and facial features that can be made more life-like. Offloading the transcoding of large media files to the GTX 280, results in reduced time to complete the task - a 145% improvement in my testing. To do this, Nvidia uses CUDA technology to take advantage of the parallel computing capabilities of the GT 200 series of GPU's. SLI capabilities include 2-way and 3-way SLI, and if single card performance is this good, I can't wait to see how multi-card performance scales. During testing, the temperatures of the XFX GTX 280 never got out of hand; at 74 degrees Celsius, it seems to run a bit cooler than some of the other cards in Nvidia's stable. The airflow from the rear of the card is more than just a soft push to discharge the heat - the cooler on the GTX 280 pushes a huge volume of air to keep temperatures in check, more so than any other card I have used. Nice job on that one! While a little noisy at 100% fan speed in an open case, things quieten down when the sides are put back into place. The only knock I have on this card is the price - at $650, it is going to be an expensive animal to get. But, the old saying is "you gotta pay to play", and I seem to remember the 8800GTX selling for the same price when it launched. If you must have the fastest card at higher resolutions, the XFX GTX 280 is the way to go. The single card gaming performance is just amazing.